Dawn of Resurrection
by Reality Benders
Summary: Zero gets a new Hunter in his unit. Although she doesn't seem to be letting on everything about herself, she has a secret in the past. It's bad enough the Zero has nightmares of Iris' death, but a powerful enemy has risen. WARNING: Read the Bio first
1. A Word of Warning before we begin

A WORD OF WARNING!!  
  
  
  
You have now entered the realm of the Reality Benders. We assume that you have taken heed of our warning and read the Bio before moving forth. Remember, our realm is a place where anythnig can happen and any point can be changed as wished, so anything unusual is natural (get it?).  
  
Dawn of Resurrection is a story written by our member Nikkie. She isn't as well versed in the game as a lot of other authors (so cut her some slack) but we think her story is good anyway. So onwards to the story! 


	2. Zero's Dreams

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders on NOTHING!!!!  
  
  
  
Iris…Iris…  
  
Zero…  
  
Hang in there, Iris.  
  
Please…stay away from Repliforce… Let's live together in a world where only Reploids exist…  
  
Iris, there's no world only for reploids… It's only a fantasy…  
  
Yes, I know… But I wanted to believe it. I wanted to live in a world where only reploids exist…with you…  
  
Iris… Iris! Iris!  
  
"Zero! Zero, wake up! Zero!"  
  
Zero's eyes flew open. As everything came into focus, he saw the face of his best friend, X, peering down from the glass of his capsule. "Zero!" he cried, his voice somewhat muffled from the other side of the glass. "Are you okay?"  
  
The capsule top opened and Zero sat up. A pain shot across his head. He put a hand on his forehead and groaned. "What? What's the matter?"  
  
"That was what I was going to ask you," said X. "You were yelling so loudly I heard it from out here. Were you having another nightmare?"  
  
Zero stared blankly at him. Then he groaned and propped his head in his hands. "Yeah, I guess…"  
  
X drew his mouth in a tight line. "Is it that time of year again?"  
  
The red Hunter glanced at the blue one and wondered how his friend knew so much. It was that time of year again. When Iris died in that space station. By his hands. He nodded slowly. "Everything just comes crashing back at this time. The anniversary."  
  
"It'll take a while for you to get over it, huh?" asked X softly.  
  
"It'll take forever, basically," Zero muttered. "It still torments me every year…"  
  
There was a moment of silence between them, and X groped for words. "Um…why don't you just delete that from your memory? If it's that bad, I mean…"  
  
"That means I'd have to delete about Iris too," Zero replied in a flat tone. "I don't think I'd want to do that."  
  
"Right," said X, looking embarrassed. "Sorry." He glanced at his best friend and said, "Well, since you're up, we'd better get to the control room. Alia wants to see us."  
  
"What? Why?" asked Zero.  
  
"Something about a new hunter."  
  
Zero sighed and said, "All right. Let's go."  
  
As he got up, X said, "Look if you're not feeling that well, maybe you should just stay and rest. After all, I can see to them and we don't really need to—"  
  
"No," interrupted Zero, shaking his head. "I'll go. Besides, if I go to sleep again I'll just get another nightmare."  
  
He passed X and strode out of the room. X sighed and ran after him. 


	3. The Silent Hunter

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders on NOTHING!!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
Alia looked up and saw Zero enter the control room. He looked slightly heavy-lidded, and a worried-looking X followed. Zero sat down on one of the chairs, propping his forehead on a hand, and X stood beside Alia, who asked, "What's the matter with Zero?"  
  
"It's about the…you know…the anniversary of…" X made gestures with his hands, and Alia got it. "Oh!" she said. "I see. Still hasn't got over it, eh?"  
  
"Yeah," nodded X. "I'm worried. He's like this for some time now. I think he still blames himself for it."  
  
Alia just shook her head. "He'll get over it."  
  
"I hope so," said X.  
  
Alia moved to the table with X following her and said to the hunters sitting around the table, "Okay, guys. There's going to be a new Hunter transferred here."  
  
"A Hunter?" asked Zero. "Not a rookie or a trainee?"  
  
"A Hunter," nodded Alia. "Transferred here from Section Nova 767."  
  
"Nova 767?" asked one hunter. "That place is hard core, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah," nodded X, sitting beside Zero. "Hunters there are drilled harder and their training is a lot more strict. That area is tougher, even though ours is of a more general and overruling area. The Hunters there have to be really good."  
  
"That's right," said Alia. "I think this one is no different. So this Hunter passed the tests and is fully qualified to be among you."  
  
She turned to the door along with everyone else, and the door oppened with a whoosh. Through the slight mist, a figure stepped through. It was a girl reploid.  
  
She looked rather young, but only as young as X and Zero looked. Her armor was deep purple and white, and her helmet was a little like Zero's, only it had translucent lavender glittering wings. The gem on her helmet was a purple star. A purple translucent visor covered her eyes, but they could clearly see a long sheet of black hair emerging from below the helmet.  
  
She walked forward in silence, and the only sound in the room heard were her footsteps.  
  
Every eye was riveted to her, and she stepped beside Alia, facing the other Hunters. She did not say a word.  
  
Alia cleared her throat and commanded, "State your name."  
  
"Dawn, ma'am," came the short reply. Her voice was quiet, but it had a strange quality of it's own. It was pleasant, but sounded serious. She had a British accent.  
  
"Our new Hunter is a girl?" asked one Hunter.  
  
Alia glared at them and they all silenced. X stared at the girl. He couldn't see her face clearly because of the visor covering her face. Her head slightly turned to him, and X had the feeling that he was being studied. He looked back at the visor, but could not penetrate.  
  
The girl turned back to everyone, leaving X feeling rather queer. He looked at Zero. He only looked serious as he looked at the purple Hunter. He knew that there was something about this Hunter that's different. There must be more to her than what is let on.  
  
"Well, she does look like she's from Nova 767," said one hunter.  
  
He was right. She certainly seemed rather imposing in her silence. X looked at Zero and whispered, "I don't see her weapon."  
  
"She must not have brought it out for this meeting," replied Zero.  
  
"Maybe she doesn't have one," suggested X.  
  
"There's no way she could've passed the tests with no weapon," said Zero reasonably.  
  
X and he looked back at the Hunter, who had not moved from her position. She acts more like a robot than a Reploid, he thought. Must be all that drilling and training.  
  
"All right," said Alia. "Which unit shall she be in, then?"  
  
Everybody started talking at once. They all seem to want to have such a tough Hunter among their midst, even if it was a girl.  
  
Then, Dawn spoke. "I am under orders, ma'am."  
  
They all shushed and looked at her. Alia asked, "What orders?"  
  
"I'm under strict orders to participate within Unit 00, ma'am," she said in monotone.  
  
At that, everyone looked at Zero, the captain of that unit. He looked right at the Hunter and asked, "Ordered by whom?"  
  
There was a little pause that they sensed, and she replied, "By Colonel, sir."  
  
"The Colonel?" Alia asked, her eyes wide.  
  
Dawn nodded quietly.  
  
They all began whispering and Zero, looking rather surprised, sat up and said, "But Colonel is dead."  
  
"Not only that, he's with Repliforce," added X.  
  
"He used to have control over Nova 767," replied Dawn. "I was to be transferred here, and he had given orders for me to do so. However, due to circumstances I wasn't able to come through at that time, and by then, the Colonel had joined with the Repliforce."  
  
"Wouldn't his order have been made void?" asked X.  
  
"There is no voiding a command at Nova 767, sir, may the commander has left the sector or not," replied Dawn in the same monotone as she had been using since she started speaking. "So long as it has nothing to do with endangering a member of the sector."  
  
The Hunters all looked at one another, but could not say anything about it. Nova 767 was rather eccentric and left to their own ways, but method has been found in their…madness.  
  
Zero then nodded and said, "Fine. I trust the Colonel's judgement whether he be here or not. You'll be in my unit from now on."  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied in a direct monotone. The expression on her face, blank and serious, never changed, as X noticed.  
  
"Come with me," said Zero, standing. "I shall show you to your quarters."  
  
The girl turned to him, but did not say anything. As Zero walked to her, he asked, "By, the way, what is your Hunter level? Based on this sector, that is."  
  
"GA, sir," she replied.  
  
They all looked at each other, astounded. X's mouth hung open. The only GAs in this sector was him and Zero.  
  
They all looked at Alia, who shrugged in uncomfort. "It's true. She's a GA."  
  
Zero caught X's eye. The blue Hunter just shrugged.  
  
Dawn said, "Is that a…an unqualified level around here?"  
  
"It's the highest there is," said Zero quietly. "Only X and I have that level." He motioned to the blue Hunter, but the girl barely glanced back at him. "Why, what was your level at Nova?"  
  
"Level S," she replied.  
  
"Would that be the highest as well?" asked Alia.  
  
Dawn nodded.  
  
"Were there others who had that level?"  
  
Dawn shook her head.  
  
"So you're the best at that sector," said Zero.  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied. "That is why they had pushed through with my transfer here."  
  
Zero let out his breath and said, "Fine. Come on, then."  
  
Dawn followed him silently as the walked on, and the both of them vanished out the door. As the door shut with a whoosh, X said, "She kind of gives me the creeps, Alia."  
  
"If you think you had the creeps now, I had worse when I was the one who was overseeing her in her tests," Alia replied. "She's extremely obedient. It was like if I told her to jump out of the window, she will. And she was so quiet. And she focuses only on the command. She never gets distracted."  
  
"Well, she's Zero's problem now," said X.  
  
"Somehow, I don't that that's going to be too much trouble, then," said Alia with a grin. 


	4. Dawn's Secret

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders on NOTHING!!!!  
  
  
  
Zero and Dawn walked on down the halls. Zero was finding Dawn's silence rather unnerving. Usually, with new trainees or recruits, the trouble was to get them to shut up because of their excited chatter. But her silence was something that was unusual yet interesting to him.  
  
"You know…we're not going to give you demerits for talking," Zero said, glancing beside him.  
  
Dawn glanced at him (she was still hidden by the visor) for the briefest instant, and said after a pause, "Even if that was so, sir, I would have nothing to speak to you about."  
  
Zero didn't know what to say to that. "I suppose…"  
  
Absolute silence reigned once again and all the way until they reached Dawn's new quarters. The door opened and the both of them entered. The room was rather decent, with a bed (a capsule, of course), a computer and a desk. It had a curtained window and a full length mirror standing beside a closet that could either be used to contain armor or weapons.  
  
Zero looked around and turned to Dawn. "Well, here you are. We'll sound the alarm when there's an emergency and you report immediately to the main room."  
  
"Yes, sir," said Dawn.  
  
Zero looked at her and said, "You know, I'd like it if you stop calling me 'sir'."  
  
"Is that unallowed here?" asked Dawn.  
  
"No, but when you say it and in your case, it makes me feel like I'm in a severe military camp," said Zero.  
  
"What should I call you, then?"  
  
"Just Zero. Okay? Call me Zero. Like everyone else does."  
  
"But…I am your subordinate, and you are my superior. It is only proper that I should address you in a manner of respect." Zero felt like Dawn was staring at him in a somewhat puzzled manner, but he really couldn't tell through the visor.  
  
Zero sighed and said, "Okay, how about captain? That is what I am."  
  
"All right, captain."  
  
It made absolutely no difference, Zero thought with a sigh. "Right. Well, I'll expect you to report to training later this afternoon, Dawn."  
  
"Yes, captain."  
  
Okay. At least she's easy to get along with. Zero walked to the door, and Dawn suddenly said, "Captain?"  
  
He looked back at her. "Yes?"  
  
She looked at him for a while, but then she looked away. "Nothing. I'm sorry."  
  
"No, what is it?" he asked, turning to her.  
  
She was silent a moment, then she said, "Did you know the Colonel yourself, captain?"  
  
"I doubt there's any Hunter in this base who doesn't," he replied. "He is quite…known around here, especially those who participated in the Repliforce incident. Why?"  
  
"Nothing," she said. "I was simply curious, captain."  
  
Zero nodded and went out the door. As soon as the door shut with whoosh, Dawn let out her breath in a sigh. So this is my new home. She looked around. Compared to my quarters in Nova, this place is a four star hotel.  
  
She walked over to the mirror and looked at herself. She carefully reached up and pulled off her helmet. A pair of bright green eyes twinkled at the mirror. She sighed again.  
  
So my new captain is Hunter Zero… she thought. He killed Colonel…and his sister…my best friend. Her mind was reverted to her kind, best, and only friend when Colonel took temporary control over Nova. They sent letters to each other when Iris left with the Colonel.  
  
Oh, Iris…did he know how much you loved him? I wish I knew if he loved you back. But if he did…why did he kill you?  
  
Dawn looked at her helmet. They said that Iris and I look alike, except for the hair and eye color. Heck, we even have the same accent. Is that why I kept my visor on? So that Zero wouldn't see me? Her expresion became serious. I'm not afraid of him. I'm not mad at him, either. I guess I'll just have to do the job I was sent here for, and forget everything that has to do with Iris, Zero, and the past.  
  
She put her helmet on, and stepped into the capsule. As she lay down, and the capsule closed, she thought, I just hope no one digs it up. 


	5. Attack at the Base

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders on NOTHING!!!!  
  
  
  
The control room's doors opened again, and Zero entered. The rest of the Hunters were gone. Only X and Alia remained. Alia was looking at something in a computer, and X was standing behind her. X turned around to see Zero. "Hey. How'd it go?"  
  
"Sum it up in one word," said Zero. "Quiet."  
  
"I expected as much," said Alia with a smile, looking at him. "Did she creep you out?"  
  
"No," replied Zero, sitting down. "But she's an interesting character. She's quite stuck to her ways in Nova. She wouldn't even call me by name. She kept calling me in something that signified me as her superior."  
  
"It's all that Nova training," laughed X. "Is it getting to you, Zero?"  
  
"A little," he replied. Zero looked a little thoughtful. "But she asked me if I knew Colonel personally."  
  
"What'd you say?" asked X.  
  
"I couldn't very well say that I killed him," replied Zero. "I said yes, though. I do know the Colonel. And his…sister."  
  
Zero's voice took a different tone and he looked away. It seems like he was back to remembering what day it was. X immediately acted. "Why did she ask that question?"  
  
"I honestly don't know," he replied. "She said she was just curious."  
  
"A mite too curious if you ask me," said Alia. "There must be more to it than that."  
  
"I think so too," said Zero. "But I'm not exactly sure on how to pry it out of her. I'l say one thing about her: it'll be really hard to get anything out of a girl like that."  
  
"I bet," said Alia. "You'll be seeing her later on training, right?"  
  
"Yeah," said Zero. He was thinking for a moment. "Alia, when you were training her, did you see her face? I mean, her visor was kept on all the time that we've seen her."  
  
"That goes for me too," said Alia. "I didn't see her face well. But maybe it's just part of her armor. You know, like X's Shadow Armor. You can't see his face through the hood."  
  
"I suppose," said X. "Or maybe she doesn't want us seeing what she looks like."  
  
"Why wouldn't she?" snorted Zero.  
  
"Why ask me?" X shrugged. "You're her captain."  
  
Zero rolled his eyes and remained silent for a few moments. It was only then that she noticed Alia was opening files in the computer.  
  
"What are you guys doing?" asked Zero.  
  
"Alia's looking up every file on Nova that has something to do with our new recruit," replied X.  
  
"Any luck?" asked Zero casually.  
  
"None as of yet."  
  
"Well," Zero said, standing up, "I'll be with Douglas. I have to ask him about something." Zero stood up, and exited the room. He was quite in silent thoughts as he moved down the hall. There was something extremely unusual with Dawn.  
  
He reached the core room, and entered. He saw Douglas working on something on a table, and purple sparks were flying out from it. It must be some other Hunter's weapon.  
  
"Hey, Douglas," said Zero, coming along next to him.  
  
"Oh, hello, Zero," he said. "What can I do for you?"  
  
"I was just going to ask you about Dawn," he replied. "I didn't see any weapons when she came in. It's impossible to pass the tests with no weapons. So I was sonerding if you knew what kind of weapons she has, seeing that you're the specialist and all."  
  
"Oh, the newbie…" Douglas grinned. "Yeah. I remember. Actually, she hardly even used her weapon when she ran the tests. It seems that she is good in simply physical combat."  
  
"But did she have a weapon?"  
  
"Yes," Douglas replied. "It's a beam whip. Like your saber, only her whip and release blasts of energy like a buster when she wants it to."  
  
Zero stared at him. "Isn't that a powerful weapon?"  
  
"Oh, of course!" replied Douglas with a grin. "Never seen anything like it. Must've been custom made for her, because she seems to know how to use it really well. But she hardly used it, really."  
  
"That's her only weapon?" asked Zero after a moment.  
  
"No," said Douglas thoughtfully. "I don't think so. I think she might be hiding something on her armor, though, but I'm not sure.  
  
"Oh…" Zero looked a little satisfied.  
  
"Why do you ask?" asked Douglas. "She give you the heebie-jeebies?"  
  
"How come everybody says that about her?" demanded Zero with a smirk. "I kind of like her."  
  
"Yeah, well, let's just say it would be a whole lot better if she talked a little more and acted more like a person than a robot. She's so quiet it makes me think like she's hiding something."  
  
Zero just laughed and left. As he walked down the hall, he wondered if Dawn was hiding something. What are you thinking? Zero said to himself. She's been in a severe military sector. Of course she'd be disciplined.  
  
He passed by Dawn's room, and stopped. He wondered if he should go and talk to her. But what would I say? Zero wondered. I'll just mind my own business and leave, then.  
  
He'd barely taken two steps when a red alert sounded over the base. The alarms went off, and Zero stood as still as stone in shock. Everyone seemed to be running.  
  
Dawn's door opened and she came running out. Zero looked at her and was rather disappointed to see her visor still on. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of her face at least.  
  
She stopped when she reached him, and said, "Captain?"  
  
"It's an alert," said Zero. "Must be a Maverick attack. Let's go to the main room. Signas would be there."  
  
"Yes, captain," she replied. Zero ran ahead, and Dawn followed him. Zero asked, "You know what to do, right?"  
  
"Yes, captain," Dawn replied. "Receive the mission and carry it out to the utmost efficiency."  
  
Well…that's just about right, Zero thought. He stopped short and turned to face her.  
  
"What is it, captain?" asked Dawn.  
  
"You've been taught to follow orders, right?" Zero asked.  
  
"Strictly, captain," confirmed Dawn.  
  
"Right," said Zero with a triumphant grin. "Then, I order you to stop calling me 'captain' and just call me Zero. Is that understood?"  
  
Dawn looked like she was taken aback. "But—"  
  
"That's an order!" said Zero, smirking at her.  
  
Dawn seemed to supress a sigh. "Yes, Zero."  
  
Zero grinned. "Good. Now come on."  
  
The both of them ran into the main room, to see Signas waiting for them. X was there as well, and so were Alia and Douglas.  
  
Signas saw them and said, "Good. You're all here." He turned to Dawn. "Are you the new recruit from Nova?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied in her infamous monotone.  
  
"Excellent," he replied. He turned to the screen, who immediately began showing scenes. "We have an emergency. Mavericks had penetrated the base."  
  
"What?!" came the stupefied chorus.  
  
"About half an hour ago a cloaked fleet of ships had descended within the base parameters. Their cloaking seems well advanced for not even our sensors could detect them. They had managed to enter the base and are now wreaking havoc."  
  
"Any idea as to who they might be?" asked X.  
  
"We have not been able to identify them as they sem to be an unknown group to us. They uncloaked upon entering, and all the Mavericks and their ships bear this emblem," Alia informed them. The screen revealed a flag waving from a ship. It was black and had a single silver star in the center.  
  
Dawn sucked in her breath. "The Silver Pirates."  
  
They all looked at her. "What?" one Hunter asked.  
  
Dawn did not reply. Signas said, "You have any knowledge of them?"  
  
"The Nova sector used to have battles with them," replied Dawn. "We believed them to have been defeated. But since they are now here, I suppose that we have been mistaken. They are a highly technological group of rebels bent on exterminating everyone in their way for domination."  
  
"Anything else?" asked Alia.  
  
Dawn looked at her. "We have to delete them. Now. Before they reduce this base to a smoldering ruin."  
  
Signas immediately said, "Well, you heard her. All of you move! I want those rebels turned into scrap."  
  
Zero and X nodded, and they ran out of the room, with the rest of the Hunters. "Wait! Dawn!" Douglas called. "You forgot something!"  
  
X, Zero and Dawn stopped to look. Douglas threw something shining at Dawn. Dawn leapt up and grabbed it. "Thank you," she replied.  
  
She attatched it to her armor, and turned to her captain. "What was that?" asked Zero.  
  
"I am sorry for being rude, but we have no time to talk. The Silver Pirates are powerful and we have to stop them before it's too late."  
  
"Right," said Zero. "Let's go, then."  
  
They all rushed out of the room. 


	6. The Shadows at the Halls

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders own NOTHING!!!  
  
  
  
It seemed like the base had been turned upside-down in shambles. Red lights were flashing everywhere, and every other second or so, the hallway would be rocked by an explosion.  
  
"Where is everybody?" asked X.  
  
"Must be at some other area," said Zero.  
  
Dawn turned to them. "Do you have anything of extremely high technological value in this base?"  
  
"Not that I know of," replied.  
  
Dawn muttered, looking back up ahead. "Then my suspicions are confirmed."  
  
When she ddin't say anything more, X and Zero looked at each other, and then turned back to the new Hunter. "What suspicions?" asked Zero.  
  
"The Silver Pirates would not attack without no reason," replied Dawn. "If they attack with a motive to simply get them out of the way, they would simply blast the base from the outside. But if they enter, they will always be looking for something."  
  
"What something would that be?" asked X.  
  
"It will be either you, Zero, or me," she replied. "The Silver Pirates are always interested in very powerful warriors to either get out of the way or capture. Since they know little of you, they will sure to be after me." She sounded rather solemn. "I fear that my transfer here has put the base into jeopardy."  
  
"No way," said Zero, shaking his head. "It's not you, Dawn. This is the inevitable. They will just to target us sooner or later to get us out of their way if they have an domination plans."  
  
Dawn did not reply. As they entered the hall, absolute silence reigned. The three stopped. "Why is everything so quiet?" wondered X out loud.  
  
"They're here," Dawn murmured. "This is a trap. We can't see them because they're cloaked. Later on, we must have to upgrade out visuals to be able to see them through the cloak."  
  
"That is, if we survive," said Zero.  
  
"If," agreed Dawn.  
  
They walked on slowly. It was like walking through a pitch black tunnel and you're trying to sense if a vampire bat will swoop down any second.  
  
"Listen…" Dawn whispered. "Their cloaks don't last for a long period of time. They will have to keep switching energy flows from one battery to another. Now when they do that, the cloack will flicker for only a second. You'll be able to sense that flicker, since the both of you are good."  
  
"Right," nodded Zero.  
  
Dawn's visor was not just for decoration. Symbols flashed around it and she scanned the room. She saw a flicker that the visor had targeted and instantly acted.  
  
With a cry, she bandished her whip at the hiding Maverick and caught it by the neck with her beam whip. With a powerful tug, she ripped its head off. The Maverick hit the floor, and so did the head, now both visible.  
  
"Hmm," said Dawn, approaching it. "The shadows. The ones in here are the shadows, the cloaked ones. The ones outside are visible, so I guess we just stumbled into the worst place in the base."  
  
"That's good, then," said X. "Better the three of us get the worst ones than the other Hunters."  
  
Zero nodded and said, "Let's keep moving."  
  
As they did, Dawn said, "Maybe you superiors better go and see to your subordinates. They might be having a tough time. The Silver Pirates are after me anyway, and it would not be right to put the two of you in this mess as well."  
  
"I'll ignore that," said Zero. "Since they're after you, then I really have to stay here. Besides, if you're forgetting, Dawn, you're also a subordinate of mine."  
  
"What about you, Captain X?" Dawn asked.  
  
"I'll stay," he said firmly. "I'm not about to let the Mavericks succeed in their mission."  
  
Dawn looked like she was going to smile, but seemed to have resisted. "Thank you," was all she said. She looked and said, "Zero, behind you, ten o'clock."  
  
Zero whirled around and instantly saw a brief flicker clear, and slashed down at it with his saber. The maverick split in half and hit the ground.  
  
Dawn, who was looknig at Zero, missed a beat. She felt a powerful grip grab her by the neck and lift her in to the air. She gasped for air, kicking the empty air and struggled to pry her captor's hands off her neck.  
  
"Dawn!" X exclaimed. He aimed his buster at the Maverick, but Dawn choked, "Captain, look out!"  
  
X turned around to see a Maverick becoming visible, about to pounce on him. X jumped back the one foot that might've just saved him. A blast of energy came from the Maverick's mouth and the impact sent X into the wall. There was a slashing sound, and Zero had sliced the Maverick in half. "You all right, X?"  
  
"Yeah," he said, then his eyes widened as he saw Mavericks becoming visible. "Zero, it's got Dawn!"  
  
Dawn struggled to get free, and she felt the charging of energy behind her. I'm about to blasted! She saw Zero running up to her and she yelled, "No! Zero, get away!"  
  
Zero stopped for a fraction of the second, and the Maverick blasted at Dawn, sending her flying, and crashing right into Zero, knocking the two hunters down.  
  
Amazingly, Dawn did not have a hole in her chest. She looked rather battered, but all right. "Thank goodness I told Douglas to give me that armor strength upgrade." She looked at Zero, whom she had pinned down to shield him from the blast. "Are you all right, Zero?"  
  
"What the heck are you worrying about me for?!" he demanded. "Get up 'cause here they come!"  
  
Three Mavericks came swooping down at them, but two of them were suddenly blown away. They looked up at see X, who'd been behind the mavericks, his buster still pointed and smoking from the charged shot he'd released.  
  
Zero and Dawn stood up and began running as a rainfall of shots and Mavericks came swooping down.  
  
"We're surrounded!" X yelled, doing his best to blast the mavericks out of their patyh. Zero slashed through two and said, "We have to get out of here! This palce is a death trap!"  
  
"Get down!" Dawn yelled. "Shockwave Blast!" Her whip gave a thunderous crack and a powerful blast of purple light went out in all directions for a radius of six feet around them. The Mavericks were blasted away for an instant.  
  
"Captain X, Zero, hurry! Down the hall!" Dawn stood up and began running in another direction.  
  
"Dawn, where are you going!" Zero yelled.  
  
"I have to get to the leader of the shadows!" Dawn exclaimed. "There's always one! Now get away before it makes the hall explode! I'll look for it!"  
  
"No! Dawn!" X cried. But they could not get through to her, because Mavericks were crowding in all directions.  
  
Zero turned to X and said, "We have to rush our way through. Just keep blasting! Come on, move!"  
  
The two of them rushed through the amvericks, blowing them away as they went, clearing their path. Sparks of purple energy were lighting the hallway before them, and it could only be dawn.  
  
Dawn hit the wall with a resounding crash. Well, it seems like she'd found what she was looking for. "Uncloak yourself, coward!"  
  
There was resounding laugh. A disfigured maverick revealed itself from cloaking, and it was bigger than the rest. "You must be Dawn." He blasted Dawn down before she could react.  
  
Dawn's temper rose. She rushed at it, flinging large amounts of energy blasts. "How dare you all put the Hunters in jeopardy! At their own base! I won't let you, you hear me?!" She finished with a powerful crack of her whip and the maverick hit the wall.  
  
The Maverick stuggled to her up and laughed hoarsely. "You think you're so tough, little girl, but you won't be very soon."  
  
Dawn, heavily damaged on one side with all the fighting and her visor shattered, pulled herself up and grabbed the Maverick's neck. "What do you want? What do you want from the Hunters? Tell me right now or I'll send you to kingdome come!"  
  
"Quite easy," he said with a hoarse cackle. "It's you, dear girl. And the red Hunter. You are what we are after."  
  
Dawn gasped. She noticed too late a time bomb upon the Maverick's open chest. Before she could do anything, the Maverick exploded.  
  
With a scream, Dawn flew backwards, and the world went black.  
  
Zero ran and X ran through the halls as quick as they could, but they reached the scene just in time to see Dawn demand what the Mavericks want. They heard it saw that they objective was Dawn, and the 'red hunter', which was obviously Zero.  
  
"Dawn!" Zero yelled, but it was too late as the Maverick suddenly exploded.  
  
The hall burst into flames, and both Zero and X were knocked to the ground. They pushed themselves up from the ground. "What…happened?" X choked.  
  
"The maverick exploded," Zero gasped.  
  
They heard voices from the other side of the hall. "They're over here!"  
  
"Finally!" X said. "Reinforcements."  
  
"Where's Dawn?" Zero asked. They around to see nothing but burning debris. It seems like the reinforcements were taking care of the rest of the Mavericks.  
  
"Look!" X gasped and pointed. Among a pile of burning embers, a battered and damaged figure of purple and white could be just seen. It was Dawn, and she was not moving.  
  
The two Hunters ran to her. "Dawn!" Zero said, shaking her. "Dawn, wake up!"  
  
"This isn't good," said X. "Come on, let's get her to a safe place."  
  
Zero nodded. He picked up the unconscious Hunter and the two of them ran to safe ground. 


	7. Dawn's Revelation

Disclaimer: The Reality Benders own nothing!  
  
Note: Sorry it took so long. We cemented Nikkie's legs into a pot and forced her to continue this thing at least while we dealt with.some other problems. We thought we needed to get back on track.  
  
  
  
Zero and X ran into the control room, the only room at the moment that was absolutely safe. Mavericks were being fought everywhere, but everyone else seemed to be handling it already. "What happened?" asked Alia, jumping up from her place in front of the computer. "She took on one of the more powerful Mavericks alone," replied X. "She must've been too angry to notice the bomb in it." "What of the both of you?" asked Douglas. "You guys look pretty battered." "Would've been worse if Dawn wasn't with us to give us a hint on how to beat those Shadow Mavericks in the hall," said Zero. Lifesaver entered the room, looking pretty hassled. "We got a lot of damages to a lot of people from every side. Those new Mavs are brutal." He saw Dawn and ran to them as he gasped, "She's by far the worst! What happened?" "Just some stealth Mavs," said X. "I think they're after her." Lifesaver looked her over. "Oh, this isn't good. She's lost a lot of energy and taken a lot of damage." He shifted in position and said, "She hit her head and her circuits are in shreds. Come on, help me take her helmet off." Zero nodded and he and X carefully slipped the shattered helmet off Dawn. As soon as they did, Zero dropped the helmet with a thud. He looked stunned. X's eyes were wide. "Look at her! She looks just like.like." Zero choked out, ".I-Iris?" "No way," said Alia. "She just must look like her. I mean.putting aside the hair and eye color.she-she does look like Iris." "Too much," X said with a raised eyebrow. "Are you all right, Zero?" "Yeah," replied the red Hunter, standing up. "I-I'm okay. Just a little.stunned." He looked to Lifesaver. "Well? Is she going to be okay?" "Can't tell anything right now," said Lifesaver. "Best chance is that we just get her fixed up and recharged as soon as possible." "Right," said Zero. "Do what you have to. I-I'm just going to go see to everybody else." And her and out of the room and back into the diminishing fray. "Zero's shaken up," said Alia. "X, go with him." "Yeah," said X, standing up, with a last glance at Dawn. "Really shaken up." He ran out the door and saw Zero running down the hall, his face looking pale. "Zero!" X called. "Zero, I'm coming with you." He ran up to his best friend and said, "Are you sure you're all right?" "No, I'm not," Zero replied through gritted teeth. "Is this why she never took off her visor? She must know something about the Colonel and Repliforce. That's why she asked me if I knew the Colonel personally. She must know Iris too, and she knew me because she didn't want to show me what she looked like." He groaned in frustration, "X, I'm getting so confused! Everything's happening so fast, it's making my head spin!" "Zero, get a hold of yourself!" exclaimed X. "You're whiter than a sheet and your getting hysterical. Oh no." a thought came to him. "You-you left without getting any repairs! You're still drained!" Zero didn't seem to be listening as he sank to his knees. "The dreams.is this why." And he collapsed to the floor. "Zero!" X exclaimed.  
  
  
  
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".she's all right now." Huh? What-what happened? ".is Zero okay too?" .A girl.Iris?.Is that you? "Look! She's waking up! Dawn, can you hear us? Dawn!" Dawn stirred. She tried to speak, but the words that came out of her mouth were slurred. ".What-I-" A shot of pain went across her head and she groaned. Putting a hand on her head, she realized that her helmet was not there. "What? My helmet." "We had to take it off," said X, and he slowly came into focus on Dawn's eyes. "You hit your head pretty badly." Dawn sat up. "Where am I?" "You're in the infirmary," replied Alia, coming over with Lifesaver, and Dawn realized that it was Alia's voice, not Iris', that spoke. She was a little disoriented. "You had to be repaired a bit. You took a lot of the explosion's force." Dawn looked around and noticed someone missing. "Where is Captain Zero?" "He's still unconscious," said Lifesaver, walking over to the capsule where Zero lay unmoving. "He passed out because of lack of energy." X helped Dawn out of the capsule and to stand up. "Thank you," she said. X did not reply, but the both of them moved over to Zero's capsule. Zero was unconscious, but otherwise fine. Dawn bit her lip. "I should've never come to this base." "What?" Alia looked at her. "I was the Silver Pirates' target. The leader of the Shadows said so. It was insensitive of me to put everyone here in danger." "Look, none of this is your fault," said X. "We told you that, remember?" Dawn did not say anything. It looked like tears were coming to her eyes on her impassive face. "I-I broke my promise." They all looked at her, and she just said, "I promised Iris.I promised her." Before X could ask what she meant, Zero began to stir. ".Iris.Iris." "He's dreaming again," said X, watching Zero's face turn pale. "He's having another nightmare. We have to wake him up." "Allow me," said Dawn. "But I'll need your help, Captain X." X nodded, and held her other hand as she put one on Zero, and energy seemed to be flowing from the both of them and to the red Hunter.  
  
"Zero.why are you so sad?" Zero looked up from the blackness to see Iris. She was looking at him in a strange manner. "What's wrong?" "Iris!" he exclaimed and ran to her. "You're alive!" He reached out to touch her, but his hand just went through her. It was as if she was made of mist. Iris' face fell. "It's about me, isn't it?" Zero couldn't speak, but disappointment is clearly in his face. "I.I miss you." Iris smiled a bit. "So do I, Zero. But you're torturing yourself. It's not your fault that I died, you know. It's not your fault at all." "Iris, I killed you in the weapon station!" Zero said. "How can you say it's not my fault?" "It was I who chose to fight and go against you," she replied. "And you were forced to in order to fulfill your mission. It was my choice, and you had none but to fulfill your mission." She gave a short laugh and said, "But don't worry, Zero. I may not be alive, but I will be soon." "What?" Zero gasped. "What do you mean?" "I'm coming back, Zero," she said with a smile. "In the meantime." She looked a little over he shoulder and a bright light was emanating into the gloom, ".I want you to take care of yourself, and my best friend." "You mean Dawn?" Iris nodded. "I believe that her face came as a shock to you, since she looks so much like me. Well, she does and you'll just have to believe in her. She's a brick because of all that training, but once you get to know her, she'll loosen up." She looked serious. "Believe in her. She'll be able to help you and help me too." Before Zero could reply, X voice seemed to be coming from the light, calling for him.  
  
Zero came back to reality, and his vision began to clear. He looked up and saw a familiar face looking down at him. ".Iris?" his voice came out in a murmur. She shook her head. "No, Captain. I'm Dawn." Zero tried to sit up, but pain shot across his head. "What did I tell you about calling me 'captain'?" X laughed from beside Dawn. "He's back, all right." Dawn tried to smile, but couldn't. He thought I was Iris.he really must love her. "How are you feeling, Zero?" "A little dizzy, but pretty okay," he replied. "What about you? You were in a bad state last time I saw you." "I'm all right," she said. She looked at X and said, "You should thank Captain X. You were having a nightmare and if it wasn't for his help you might've never woken at all." X raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about? I just lent you my energy. You're the one who did the whole process." Dawn did not reply, and Zero just shook his head. "Yeah well, thanks, guys." He looked at Dawn. "Um.Dawn.I want to ask you a lot of things.but I don't quite know where to begin." "I shall answer anything you ask as much as I could," she replied with a sigh. "That, I at least owe to you." "Okay.first of all.how come you never took your helmet off?" asked Zero. "Is it because you." Dawn sighed. "Yes. At first.I was afraid. I knew that I looked like Iris, whom you knew so well, so I hid my face, fearing it would affect the results of my being transferred to your unit." "You know the Colonel and his sister, right?" said X. Dawn nodded. "When the Colonel was still in control of Nova, that was when I first met Iris. We quickly became good friends. Iris was my best and only friend at that time. We both got along extremely well, disregarding the fact that I was sometimes hardened because of my training. They went to other sectors sometimes, including this one. "The Colonel knew of my skills, and that was why he told me that he wanted me to transfer to this sector and to Hunter Zero's unit. By then, Iris knew Zero. She was somewhat delighted, and told me that I should do extremely well there. She would be looking forward to seeing me there sometime. "But then the Repliforce incident came.Iris and I still kept in touch, until the day came that she never wrote back. I then received news that the weapon station was destroyed, and Iris had been killed by the Red Hunter named Zero. I was devastated at her loss, and threw myself to training all the more until I beat all of my co-Hunters by leaps and bounds. Then they sent me here." Zero, who had been listening to the tale with a white face, stared at her. "Were-Are you still devastated about the tragedy?" "Certainly," Dawn sighed. "Iris was the only friend I ever had. I still mourn for her loss.she was like a sister to me." She glanced at Zero. "Once I thought I was mad at you for killing her, but I wasn't. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to get angry with you. Not after Iris told me her feelings for you, and what a nice person you were. So.I guess I just tried to remain cold.as always." Zero looked down. "I'm sorry. I should've known." "Some of this I know since Alia and I found your file," said X, crossing his arms. "But you said something earlier. What promise did you make Iris about Zero?" It was at this that they looked up and stared at her. Dawn looked away, picking up her helmet. "When I was to be transferred here.Iris made me promise that whatever happens.I'd look out for my future captain, and make sure that I bring him no trouble. She said that Zero sometimes had the tendency to be very wound up in the battle. I promised her that I'd look out for Zero, as she said. But now that I brought the trouble to this base.I broke that promise." She sighed and was about to put her visor back on when Zero grabbed her hand. "No. Don't put it on." Dawn stared at him strangely and asked, "Why?" "You don't need to hide anything," he replied. "You haven't broken your promise to Iris, either. Nothing serious happened, and I'm okay. It'll be all right soon-we'll beat the Silver Pirates for sure." Dawn looked away. "I hope so." She turned from him and put on the helmet. She pressed a button on it, and when she looked at them, the visor was transparent, and they still saw her face. She gave them a little smile. "I shall return to my quarters now." Zero nodded with a smile, and Dawn walked away. As soon as she was gone, Alia looked at him with a grin. "Well! Who'd've thought?"  
  
  
  
Review please!! 


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